


Uncle Wouldn't Approve

by CasterShell



Series: Loyal Companions [3]
Category: Ghost of Tsushima (Video Game)
Genre: Accidental Proposal, Alcohol, Banter, Canonical Character Death, Comedy, Developing Relationship, Drunken Confessions, Drunkenness, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Hot Springs & Onsen, No Beta We Die Like Everyone At Komoda Beach, Nudity, Past Character Death, Pining, Rescue Missions, The real confession happen when they're sober, kind of, they're getting there...slowly
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-21 08:48:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30019215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CasterShell/pseuds/CasterShell
Summary: Jin has gone north to help Yuna disperse the farmers' army that is assembling in the name of The Ghost before they all get themselves into trouble.But Jin is too late, the samurai got there first.The good news is Yuna succeeded without Jin. The bad news is now she's in danger, with only one exiled samurai to rescue her. It's not the first time Jin's broken into a heavily fortified stronghold to save someone.This can be read separately from the rest of the series.
Relationships: Jin Sakai/Yuna
Series: Loyal Companions [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1904707
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Uncle Wouldn't Approve

**Author's Note:**

> This is part three of the Loyal Companions series but can be read as a standalone work. Original characters from the previous stories are referenced, but not knowing who they are will not impact the story.

-Kamiagata Several months after the Khan has been defeated and the last of the Mongols routed-

Jin had ridden north, as far north as he could, to the coast of Kamiagata. Kaze’s breath plumed to either side of his face with each huff and snort. Jin slowed him to a walk. He’d have to dismount soon. There was a samurai encampment set up at the port town the Mongol general, Kharchu, had claimed. It was the same place Norio had abandoned Jin to exact revenge. And it was where the samurai were allegedly keeping Yuna.

Jin’s help hadn’t been needed in dispersing the farmers who were attempting to form what they called ‘The Ghost’s Army’ to invade and route the Mongols away to the west in Goryeo. Yuna had done that well enough on her own. But apparently samurai had stormed the village, and known that the Ghost had a peasant woman helping him, and singled out Yuna as the instigator and ‘agent of The Ghost’. The farmers had been too frightened by the samurai forces, and Yuna’s warning of what would happen if they did form an army, to fight back. 

For that Jin was relieved. The last thing Tsushima needed was internal conflict right after an invasion. Tsushima needed stability, continuity, and the people’s support of their new samurai clans as order was reestablished. 

Jin knew that.

The samurai knew that too; which was why Yuna hadn’t simply been executed in the streets and her body strung up as warning.

The samurai had taken Yuna prisoner and taken her away for interrogation. Jin knew and agreed with their thinking. It was the right thing to do, for the samurai and for Jin. Their delay and debate over the correct choice of action, and the risks of killing a potentially innocent woman would buy Jin time. He’d need every second of it to rescue her.

Which was how Jin found himself here in the pre-dawn darkness, on a rooftop in the middle of a samurai encampment, watching two warriors in Clan Oga and Shimura colors questioning a peasant woman tied to a post. Jin tried not to think about what had happened the last time someone he cared about had been tied to a post. These fools were at least smart enough to not to untie Yuna and give her a blade, though Yuna didn’t need one.

“Tell us where The Ghost is,” The Oga samurai demanded.

“The Ghost is a myth,” Yun barked out with all the disdain of a disillusioned practical farm-wife who was used to having the men in her life obey her.

The Shimura samurai stepped up and explained, “The Ghost drove off the Mongols,” in the same tone one would use talking to a small child.

“I thought that was your Lord Shimura?” Yuna said, voice dripping with innocence and honeyed sweetness. 

Jin sighed, torn between fondness and exasperation. There was the sarcastic viper he knew and loved. Loved… OK, there was no time to unpack that now. Especially because the Shimrua samurai’s response to that disrespect was to smack Yuna across the face.

Yuna’s head jerked with the force of the blow.

“Don’t disrespect your betters, peasant wench. What were you doing with this bow and this knife?” The Shimura samurai brandished the weapons at Yuna as he finished his questioning.

“Hunting.” Yuna gave a one-word answer. But she couldn’t leave well enough alone, that Yarikawan contempt for the Jito slipped out at the most inopportune moments. “A peasant does still have the right to eat,” she added and glared, keeping eye contact and daring the samurai to tell her otherwise.

“Eating is a strange way to describe inciting a revolt.” The Oga samurai kept his voice more level and placid. He didn’t have the background experience to understand the inter-clan conflicts that had plagued Tsushima in Jin and Yuna’s childhood. _He_ could remain detached.

“So you agree people find you revolting?” Yuna asked coyly.

SMACK

Apparently even Clan Oga had its limits, and personal insults were among them. He’d used the back of his hand to smack Yuna, ensuring the metal of his kote broke skin and cracked her head sharply to the side.

Yuna spit out blood, then another hand was flying at Yuna’s already bruised face.

Jin couldn’t take watching this anymore. The sun was creeping above the horizon and he was rapidly losing the cover of darkness. Enough waiting for an opening. He had to act, now.

Jin struck.

Jin jumped down, and instead of ramming his katana through the Shimura samurai’s skull and down his throat, Jin restrained himself. He needed to save Yuna, but he refused to kill samurai. Jin put the full force of his fall into the hilt of his blade and struck the Shimura Clan samurai directly on his head. The Man’s neck bent and he collapsed. Shit. Jin didn’t have time to worry that’d snapped the man’s neck or broken his skull. 

He had to free Yuna.

Though his blade was already in the perfect position and he could shift his stance to take on the Clan Oga swordsman, Jin resorted to dirty tactics. He threw a sticky bomb. One that was a little lighter on the gunpowder but still heavy on the pitch that made it stick and spread. 

There was no point in stealth really, these had only been the two samurai posing the most immediate danger to Yuna. Around the open yard there were several others watching the interrogation turned beating. They’d seen their comrade drop like a stone. Those who hadn’t, heard the explosion that blew their fellow Shimura loyalist onto his back. Jin winced at the burns his fellow samurai- former fellow samurai, he’d been outcast- would have, assuming he lived. 

But all Jin’s focus was on assuring Yuna lived. He threw a smoke bomb at his feet to buy them some time and turned to cut through Yuna’s bonds with one blow, as only a trained samurai could.

She gasped and Jin feared for a moment it was his appearance and not relief at being loosed. He was frightening when he fought. Clad in the Ghost Armor Taka had made Jin was a dark and spectral demon enshrouded in mist; this very sight had sent many Mongols and bandits running and pissing themselves in terror. Jin watched and felt reassured as Yuna blindly darted through the incense laden smoke to grab her weapons from the Shimura samurai lying face down int the dirt. She was quick and moving with ease; her gasp had been relief then, and possibly surprise at being freed so quickly. 

Yuna wrenched her bow and blade from the body’s tightly clenched hands and was at Jin’s back before the smoke cleared. “So much for staying out of the revolt, eh Jin?” She called loud enough to be heard over the remaining samurai and retainers of the camp mobilizing to capture them.

Jin and Yuna stood, back-to-back, covering each other with their weapons drawn. Yuna had a pitifully small number of arrows hastily scavenged from with arms reach and the fallen samurai’s quivers. Jin sidestepped and moved back, rotating their positions as soon as he heard the snap of a bowstring and the rushing of arrows. Yuna turned with him, continuing to guard his back, and was shielded by Jin’s body when the arrows bounced of Taka’s well-made armor. It was light, made for stealth, but surprisingly sturdy. It couldn’t stop every arrow though and Jin winced as a few sunk through multilayered silk into skin. It hurt, but the wounds weren’t deep. Jin snarled fit to match the mask that covered his face.

As much as Jin wanted to save Yuna he couldn’t stand by and slaughter his own people. He didn’t even know if his initial blows had been lethal. Two samurai dead would be two too many. Jin wasn’t about to start a revolt that would get who knows how many killed.

“Yuna, enough. We have to go. Now,” Jin insisted through grit teeth and pain.

The archers were reloading, it was safe for Jin to whirl around Yuna and block her next shot at the samurai charging towards them.

“Jin,” Yuna growled. There was no place for honorifics here, and Yuna would show no honor in getting her revenge. Her eyes were narrowed and hard from more than the swelling of her cheeks and brow. Blood trickled from a split lip and bent nose, red, and vital, and full of life.

Jin wanted to keep them both alive. Only the living could bleed, and only the living could heal.

“We can’t kill them all, and don’t you think this will put a bigger target on the farmer’s heads.” Jin rushed to say it before the samurai could reach them.

“Tch,” Yuna snarled and spit more blood.

Jin threw a black powder bomb near enough to the samurai to force them back but far enough they wouldn’t get too maimed in the blast, he followed it with another smoke bomb near his feet and in the direction of his escape route.

“Let them think it’s a rogue Ghost pretender!” Jin begged Yuna as he ran. He turned back despite the smoke to check that Yuna was following him. Jin had to make sure he wouldn’t have to drag her away; he was fully prepared to, but Yuna was nowhere behind him.

Yuna was, thankfully, two steps ahead of Jin and already fleeing the camp. Jin followed her, keeping her in his sight to ensure she didn’t shoot any samurai too much while he delayed their pursuers however he could. Jin knocked over armory racks that scattered and broke bows and arrow shafts, and threw Kunai at the Samurai’s feet to startle and trip them in addition to tossing more black powder bombs at anything and everything.

Jin and Yuna reached the edge of the encampment and scaled a roof, a wall, and a cliff. Their actual escape from the fortification was quick and silent. Over the months following the Khan’s defeat Jin and Yuna had worked together multiple times; they were as much of one mind now as Jin and his retainers or the other Tsushima samurai had ever been. They disappeared outside the samurai stronghold, vanishing between the trees and pampas grass. Jin hadn’t even exhausted his supply of smoke bombs and their pursuers had already lost sight of them. 

By now they’d be tending their wounded. Jin was certain there were more stab wound from Yuna’s stollen arrows than burns from his bombs or cuts from his sword. Jin still felt a twinge of nausea from his actions. Yuna must have sensed it.

“I don’t think you killed anyone,” Yuna consoled. Jin wasn’t certain if she was impressed or judgmental of that.

Yuna continued, “Your uncle would be proud.” 

Again, Jin was unsure if she was impressed or judging him. Considering she’d mentioned Shimura, and it was Yuna talking, it felt like judgement.

They’d stopped to set Yuna’s broken nose, then they resumed running, not at a breakneck pace but a relaxed lope, through the wooded hills and grassy slopes. Even though they were being pursued it was safe to talk this far from the roads in the murky darkness of the cedar forests.

“You know he doesn’t approve of me,” Jin said. He wasn’t sure if he was reminding Yuna of his current situation as a pariah, or if he was trying to deny her scorn for his uncle by distancing himself from the whole ordeal. Everything about Jin’s remaining family situation was still too new and raw and uncomfortable.

Yuna snorted, spitting out another wad of snot and blood, “The fact you’re still alive means he cares for you. Somewhere deep down.” She was consoling him. Jin was surprised. 

But… his recent actions for her sake had condemned him yet again. He’d chosen her over samurai. He’d chosen life over honorable death. 

“The fact that I’m alive shames him every day.” Jin explained, “For samurai, love and honor are separate. He may have some filial love for me, but I know he doesn’t approve of anything I do. I failed him.” Jin choked on his emotions, his chest was tight and not from exertion.

Yuna slowed to a walk to let Jin catch his breath. “You saved your people,” she insisted. “If that’s failing the Jito, I’d want to be a failure.” Yuna’s tone was bitter. She was a pragmatist, a survivor, to the end.

Jin wished he could see things that way, but he’d been a samurai far too long to entirely shed his old life, he wasn’t a viper, he wasn’t Yuna. But her words brought some comfort.

“If it helps Jin… I approve of your actions, as do our people.” Yuna put a warm hand on his shoulder.

Yuna brought some comfort. He cared for her, and her opinions of him. Her approval soothed his guilty conscience. Hearing her say ‘our people’ gave Jin that lost comradery and warmed his heart. They really were in this together. She wouldn’t leave him.

Jin realized he’d been looking at her for too long. Damn. Jin laughed to cover his embarrassment at getting lost in thought- in thoughts of Yuna.

“You’re right. And I agree with you. And this is why my uncle doesn’t approve of you.” Jin joked to take all attention away from how long his eyes had lingered on Yuna’s face; beautiful despite the blood and bruises and other injuries they’d need to tend to sooner rather than later. Jin mirrored Yuna’s familiarity by throwing an arm over her shoulder as they broke a path through the undergrowth of Kamiagata.

Yuna took Jin’s comments in the lighthearted spirit they were intended. “If I was your uncle, I wouldn’t approve of me either,” Yuna smiled cockily.

That comment was familiar. Jin tried to place it… he could, and an instant later it felt like they were back in Yarikawa the night before the siege, and Jin still somewhat cared what his uncle thought. They’d been drinking on the tower at the top of Ujimasa’s keep. They were drunk, and the stars winked and sparkled in the crisp air. They’d talked, at length and in detail, about Yuna’s mother and childhood. The conversation turned to Jin’s family’s past, and in a desperate attempt not to be maudlin and sob about dead parents Jin had brought up recent family strife. He’d mentioned the insinuations his uncle had made about Yuna; Jin realized that might be insulting and had been about to refute them but-

*Flashback: the night before the siege of Yarikawa*

“If I was your uncle, I wouldn’t approve of me either,” Yuna slurred and swayed as she waved her sake bottle for emphasis, leaning dangerously away from Jin before crashing in to his shoulder and hiccupping in his ear as she rubbed her cheek against his shoulder.

Jin tensed at the shock, of Yuna hitting him and that her body was so warm against his, and quickly disagreed with her, “Well he’s wrong! You’re smart and strong, and kind, and clever…” Jin trailed off but he wasn’t done yet, Yuna deserved to know how perfect she was. “You’re good with people and resources and a good warrior, you’d make a perfect samurai’s wife!” Jin concluded by nodding his head vehemently.

Yuna drew back to look up at him, Jin swore the stars’ reflections were dancing in her eyes. Yuna grinned and lowered her head so she was coyly meeting his gaze, “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were proposing, Lord Sakai.”

Jin flushed and stammered and turned away, “Well, I- ah. Now’s not really the best time to be planning on such things. Not that I wouldn’t, I mean, not that I do-don’t… uh-” 

Shit! Jin hadn’t meant it like that. Except perhaps he had? It was a good idea, and he did feel something for Yuna; more than he had for the last woman his uncle had tried to pair him with. But with battle in the morning, now was not the time to be making any plans… was it?

“Relax Jin. It was a joke. I know what our relationship is.” Yuna clapped him on the shoulder and took a long swig of sake. Her sigh at the end of the long gulp released all the tension of the moment.

And the worst part was, Jin knew exactly what their relationship was too. He treasured both it and Yuna far too much to risk it by demanding more. That didn’t mean he couldn’t privately want it to be more. It was just that, like he’d said, now was the wrong time. Perhaps, after this was all over, if they both lived, he could talk more with Yuna. Lord Shimura would object… but Jin was a grown man and could have feelings for whoever he pleased. 

It caused shame to ball in his gut, but he was growing used to disappointing his uncle. 

Jin took his own long drink of sake, then handed Yuna his bottle when she lofted her own and wiggled it inquisitively, like she was wondering how it’d gotten empty. She smiled and took a large gulp from the new bottle. Her smile was radiant and Jin felt warmth from something other than alcohol pooling in his stomach and chest. He truly, truly, cared for this woman. He would marry her… except. 

He would never push Yuna into something she might not want, nor be able to refuse due to their positions as samurai and peasant. If Jin was to initiate anything, Yuna might not have much choice in the matter. That thought made Jin shiver with disgust. Yuna noticed his shaking and threw a blanket over them both. 

Jin looked down as a thoroughly drunk Yuna laid her head on his shoulder and instantly fell asleep. Jin cared for her too much to lose her respect, to lose what they had now. And what would her brother, Taka, think? No, Jin would cherish Yuna as she was, and their relationship as it was; something true and unnamed and beautiful. That was something enough to fight for, and Yuna and Taka were people worth fighting for, people he cared about. After Komoda beach and Yuriko, and aside from his uncle, they were all he had left. Jin would do anything not to lose them.

*End Flashback*

-Kamiagata countryside later the day of Yuna’s escape- 

They’d successfully escaped; taken out what samurai they’d had to back at the fort, but at Jin’s insistence they’d spared as many samurai as possible who’d been hunting them on the road and spent the rest of their day hiding and running.

“Like thieves?” Yuna had insinuated, poking fun at Jin.

“Like Ghosts,” Jin had countered, reminding Yuna this was, in no small part, entirely her fault.

They’d covered many kilometers, first on foot, then horseback. They’d stayed away from the roads at first as well, then decided the speed was worth the risk of discovery. That gamble had paid off. Now they were far enough away they could settle Jin’s Kaze and Yuna’s Sora into an easy trot that ate ground but was more sustainable for riding most of the day.

“Old times, eh?” Yuna broke the silence between them. She wasn’t going to apologize for getting caught. The fear of her own demise had been painted plainly on her face for half a second when Jin rescued her; that moment when his blade had cut through the air towards her.

His own fears were too close to the surface for him to scold her about recklessness. Taka’s death was still too fresh for them both. Her expression when he’d staggered ashore at Port Izumi, alive but bloodied, was too fresh in his mind as well. Besides, just like at Kaneda forge, she was putting her people first; like a proper samurai should.

That was why he loved her.

Jin paused.

Yes. It was true. He loved Yuna.

“Yes,” Jin sighed, in a delayed response to Yuna and in reply to his own personal revelation.

They were slowly riding up a hill, like they had after Azamo Bay except their numbers were now halved. It truly was like old times.

Yuna spoke up again, “The sun will set soon. We should find a place to stay.”

She was right of course. They’d need time to set up camp while there was still light to see by. Though, they might not need to set up too much. Jin nodded and looked around for signs of a suitable clearing away from the road, “The weather’s nice. How about outside?”

“Under a red maple? With lanterns? And an onsen?” Yuna asked.

Jin would have sworn he wasn’t insinuating anything and Yuna was reading too much in to a simple suggestion, but before he could put his foot in his mouth he looked where Yuna was pointing. There was indeed a red maple, the soft glow of a lantern, and rising steam which could only indicate a hot mineral filled spring just over that hill. The onsen’s clearing was barely visible; Jin only noticed because Yuna had pointed it out, and she’d only looked for it because he’d suggested sleeping under the stars. It fit the criteria of well-hidden but…

“You want to sleep in the open at a hot spring everyone knows about?” Jin asked incredulously.

“Yes, because I have a death wish.” Yuna’s sarcasm was completely deadpan. Jin would have been fooled if he didn’t know her so well.

Then again, sleeping by an onsen had certain benefits. “We can’t sleep covered in blood,” Jin pointed out. Yuna’s insincere suggestion actually had some merit. 

“I thought everyone knew about it? Are you seriously suggesting we go there?” Yuna hissed to keep from shouting at Jin’s foolishness.

Jin grinned confidently, “The only people going there at this hour are lovers looking for privacy. They’ll leave quietly enough when they see the spring is occupied. We cover our clothes while we’re bathing and there’s no blood to be suspicious.” Jin had thought this through. He’d been on the disappointed side of that scenario more than once and had to take his trysts elsewhere. If there was nothing untoward in sight at quick glance, and the onsen was obvious occupied by a pair seeking _privacy_ , the general etiquette was for newcomers to politely and discreetly retreat.

Yuna must have experience with the same situation because she nodded and followed Jin as he led them off the road.

They stopped at the hot spring.

Jin continued to insist it was because he wanted to get the dirt of the road and the blood of the samurai off them before they made camp. Yuna hauled water out of the spring in buckets so they could clean their clothes and bathe outside of the onsen so as not to foul the water. Jin set up a small campfire and unrolled their sleeping mats from Kaze and Sora’s packs. Then he set about cooking dinner while Yuna laid out their kosodes for later. They ate, washed, and soaked in the onsen together in that order. 

They were a good pair. Having fought together during the invasion, and having travelled together and finished routing the Mongols together afterwards, they were almost of one mind and knew each other’s routines by heart. That was how they settled into companionable silence so easily, and watched the stars come out above them while they soaked in the onsen, naked as the day they were born.

Yuna let out a contented sigh at the heat leaching into muscles weary from the road. She’d cleaned the blood from her face and had a cool damp cloth laying across her nose and eyes over the bruises left by her interrogation. 

Blinded by her mask Yuna wouldn’t notice if Jin looked at her, but Jin was a samurai and gentleman. He wasn’t going to stare.

Jin was unaffected by being naked with her, or so he told himself. They were both adults after all, and she wasn’t the first attractive woman he’d seen naked. Jin also didn’t worry about how he’d affect her because Yuna had most certainly seen more than enough of him nude while she’d nursed him back to health after Komoda beach. There was nothing like tending to a body as if it was a slab of meat to sew together and patch up to kill any budding sexual attraction. Certain in that knowledge, Jin was able to relax, fully and entirely, and just be himself with his friend and new oldest companion.

Jin knocked his head against the stone behind him before thoughts could turn to time spent soaking with his old oldest friend… Ryuzo. ‘If things had gone differently, you’d be here,’ Jin bit back a sigh and tried to think of anything else. But the warm water and sulfurous steam leeched into his mind and preoccupied his thoughts. It hadn’t been that long since his last soak in an onsen; that had been with Naogo, the horse trader, right before he’d come north to help Yuna with dispersing the farmer’s army. And who had he shared an onsen with before that? Jin had to think… it had been a long time.

Jin let out a sigh at the same time as Yuna. He sat up sharply, surprised at the coincidence.

Yuna splashed upright and laughed at him before replacing her cooling mask and settling back down.

Jin eased backwards again himself. When Yuna’s foot drifted and bumped against Jin’s as she let her legs relax completely in the water, he didn’t flinch away. He let her use his own foot as a brace on the slippery stone bottom of the pool. Yuna pushed against him and inched her neck higher on the stone rim of the onsen to keep her hair from getting wet.

“I’m half surprised you’re not shocked at bathing with a woman.” Yuna commented without moving her foot. She lifted one corner of her face cloth to see Jin’s reaction.

Jin was surprised by her surprise. “Why should I be? We’re both warriors, friends. You’ve seen me naked considering I didn’t wake up in that cave with soiled pants,” Jin explained. Sure, he hadn’t had a wife to bathe with, but he’d relaxed with previous lovers- not that Yuna was his lover- and the other samurai, those younger and older and covered in scars. Jin had seen just about everything the human body had to offer.

Yuna was laughing at him. She bent over laughing so hard her cool eye cloth fell into the onsen which only made her laugh harder.

“Yes,” she choked out, “Remind me how I had to change your diapers like a baby! A memory I’ll treasure forever.” Yuna kept snorting laughs and rolled her eyes at Jin before delicately putting her wrist to her brow in a mock dramatic swoon.

Jin had been trying to be serious. He pouted and ducked his head before speaking, “I now regret even bringing it up.”

“Nothing is up right now,” Yuna deadpanned, sitting forward in the water with her hands on the stones between her legs.

Jin couldn’t resist joking with her since she’d started it, “Should it be?” He cocked his head coyly to the side and mirrored her pose.

“No!” Yuna laughed and shrieked in mock horror before bringing both her arms up to splash Jin.

Jin sputtered and gasped for only a second before he splashed water back at her with one arm.

Yuna gave as good as she got and completely soaked Jin. This was terribly poor etiquette. This was not the proper way to rest in an onsen. If Yuriko could see him now, he’d get the scolding of his life. Jin didn’t care. He and Yuna continued their splash fight with childish abandon until Jin eventually conceded somewhat. They settled for making smaller and smaller splashes at each other until they reached an uneasy truce. They both continued to laugh and grin quietly at each other until they settled back and returned to watching the stars. 

Jin raised his hand from the water quickly and watched it fall off his arm in a sheet while star and lanternlight refracting through it and made the droplets sparkle. It was beautiful, and vibrant, and reminded him of the flow and drape of formal kimono fabrics. Like what would be worn at a wedding. New and shining and full of the sheer joy he’d felt just a few moments ago.

Jin was maudlin, he wasn’t thinking right, which is why he spoke before he could censor himself.

“If I was still Lord Sakai…” Jin sighed, “You would make an amazing Lady Sakai.”

“Would I?” Yuna asked, her tone unreadable.

Jin nodded and kept looking up at the stars, he couldn’t say this and face her just yet. “You are the most fearsome woman I know.”

“More than Masako?” Yuna asked, her voice bright with humor. Jin noticed she’d left off the honorific.

Jin looked at Yuna and let his smile match hers, “If she’s not around to yell at me for saying so, yes.”

“Ha!” Yuna closed her eyes and leaned back, “So you’ll want me to avenge you when you die an early death?”

“No,” Jin said. He settled back against the onsen rim as well, and watched Yuna from the corner of his eye, “We’d grow old together and smack the skulls of all the foolish young samurai who’d try to cross us.”

“You think samurai have long lifespans Jin…” Yuna opened both her eyes to look at Jin with pity.

Jin protested, “Lord Shimura is-”

Yuna wasn’t trying to be cruel, “And your father and Masako’s sons aren’t.” 

She was anyway.

Jin fell silent for a moment. Yuna wasn’t wrong. His father had been-

“Yuna,” Jin said hesitantly. “… I’m older than him.”

Yuna looked at him questioningly, she couldn’t see inside his head though she could guess. “Jin?” She asked. She didn’t need to say ‘what’s wrong?’ or ‘please continue.’

“On my next birthday, Yuna, I’ll be older than my father,” Jin explained. His voice was flat and unemotional, just the way Shimura would have liked it.

“I’m sorry Jin,” Yuna consoled him and brought a hand up to rub his shoulder. She didn’t have to ask if he wanted her touch. They were beyond that level of familiarity.

Jin still couldn’t cry, though he wanted to, but his voice did break with emotions. “No it…” Jin had to think of the right words. “It is sad,” He admitted it as if he was having his teeth pulled out, “But it’s a distant sort of sadness. He’s been gone from my life longer than he was in it. I just… don’t know how I feel.” Jin took Yuna’s arm in his hand, holding it in place on his shoulder.

“You wish you had your uncle to talk to?” Yuna asked, but it wasn’t really a question.

Jin freed her hand and sank deep in the water, letting it brush his lips. When he spoke, hot water threatened to pour into his mouth. 

“Yes,” Jin admitted.

“I wish Taka was here… he was good at this.” Yuna tilted her head back and sighed, “All I can do is give you free sake.” Yuna gestured vaguely towards their packs where she had a few of Kenji’s best stowed in Sora’s saddlebag.

Though she’d brought up the topic of her dead brother, Jin still dared to joke with her, “That sounds exactly like something Taka would do.”

Yuna’s eyes were wide for a moment, then they closed and her entire face scrunched as she snorted back a laugh. “You remember!” She exclaimed, “What we said with Kenji.”

“Yes, free sake. I’m sorry though, I swear I did not intend to remind you of-” Jin was cautious as he put a hand on Yuna’s shoulder. He wanted to give her space if she desired it and to avoid having his hand land elsewhere if she moved.

Yuna waved Jin’s fears away, “It’s fine Jin. It’s fine.”

It was not fine. They both knew that. But it wasn’t entirely horrible either. Though Taka’s death was recent, fond memories of him that Yuna could share with Jin appeared to be a salve. It may also have helped that Jin felt just as much guilt over Taka’s death as she did, and they both knew it.

Yuna apparently decided now was the time for a drink because she darted out of the spring and dashed to their packs and back. She didn’t bother with cups, just a whole gourd of sake. Jin laughed at the wet trail she’d left behind, like the world’s fastest slug. Jin snorted and took the bottle from her eager hands. Considering how casual they were being, Jin uncorked the sake bottle with his teeth and took a drink.

“I guess I’m turning into Taka now; giving sake for a song. Kenji would be so ashamed.” Yuna threw her arm over her head dramatically and leaned into Jin to steal the bottle from him before he could take a second swig.

Jin shrugged as Yuna sat upright to drink easier. “Even Kenji’s giving out free sake now,” Jin added.

“He’s what?” Yuna sputtered.

“Naogo…” Jin started with the horse trader’s name, then stopped because he didn’t know how to explain that relationship. ‘The man who’s been fattening my horse,’ sounded like an obscene euphemism. Now that Jin knew Naogo’s lover, Tadasuke, he couldn’t be certain it wasn’t. Jin was even less sure what they were now. Friends? Did they think of him as a friend?

“Oh, the horse trader.” Yuna acknowledged and handed Jin the sake again.

“How do you know him?” Jin was surprised and only took a tentative sip before Yuna stole the bottle back.

“He sold Kenji a new horse while the Mongol’s were still here; after they took Miko from him but before we stole her back,” Yuna explained.

“Oh. And Kenji didn’t swindle him?” Jin asked incredulously. He hoped Kenji hadn’t taken too much of an advantage of the mainlander.

“He was going to… until Naogo mentioned you.” Yuna batted her eyelashes meaningfully.

Jin had no idea what she was implying. “Really…” He trailed off.

Yuna was all too happy to finish the story, “After that Kenji started giving him the best sake.”

“Well, that explains the other night,” Jin mused under his breath. Clearly not quietly enough.

Yuna raised an eyebrow in a silent demand that Jin finish his story.

Jin sighed, “Naogo shared some of Kenji’s _very best_ sake.”

“Hmmmm,” Yuna hummed to herself now, “I’ll have to ask Tadasuke to get me some.”

Jin sputtered and nearly choked on sake, “You know his lover too?”

“Jin…” Yuna gave him a disapproving sidelong glance, “Common folk talk. Just like you know every samurai lord and lady on this island. I know everyone who knows a way _off_ this island. Tsushima’s not that big of an island.”

Jin chuckled. He couldn’t argue. Now that the Mongol’s had been routed, he’d been working more with Lady Masako to help the widows and children of the former samurai keep what estates and holdings they could from the new mainland samurai, or at least to make arrangements to remain in their own homes. He knew all of the surviving wives and heirs by name if not by face. 

Now that Yuna was safe, he’d need to get back to that soon.

Yuna downed the last of their sake, then lifted her hand from the water and chuckled.

“Come on Jin, we should get out before we turn into prunes.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. :)  
> This work is not beta read, but I'd like to give a big shoutout to my friend who helped sort out whether or not Jin would kill the samurai in this fic. :D
> 
> Notes  
> Goryeo: was the name for Korea back in the Kamakura era.  
> Kote: a type of gauntlet worn with samurai armor, they could be gloves or cover the whole arm. one style was metal plates for protection sewn onto a fabric base.  
> Onsen etiquette: Do NOT splash in the onsen! No splashing, no swimming, no being loud. Onsen are supposed to be for relaxing. These two idiots would totally get kicked out of a modern onsen for what they did.


End file.
